Softwr

AI · head to head

Helicone vs Manus

Helicone logo

Helicone

AI

Open-source LLM observability and gateway platform for AI applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Manus logo

Manus

AI

General-purpose AI agent executing multi-step tasks in a hosted environment

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Helicone has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Helicone the free Hobby plan is capped at 10,000 requests per month, which teams with production traffic can exceed quickly.; Manus specific pricing and plan tiers not published on accessible pages; users must visit pricing page or contact sales
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Helicone and Manus actually diverge.

Attributes where Helicone and Manus differ
AttributeHeliconeManus
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Platformsweb, apiWeb, iOS, Android, Desktop, Slack integration

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (AI).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Helicone

  • Request dashboard and tracking
  • Sessions and segments
  • Helicone Query Language (HQL)
  • Prompt datasets and improvement
  • Playground
  • Rate limits and alerts

Only in Manus

Nothing recorded that Helicone does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Helicone

  • Monitoring cost and latency of production LLM applicationsnot Manus
  • Debugging multi-step agent sessionsnot Manus
  • Managing and iterating on prompts across a teamnot Manus
  • Routing requests across multiple LLM providersnot Manus

Manus

  • Autonomous research and report generationnot Helicone
  • Slide deck and presentation creation from requirementsnot Helicone
  • Website and graphic design automationnot Helicone
  • Game development and interactive content creationnot Helicone
  • Multi-step workflow automation via browser operatornot Helicone

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Helicone

  • The free Hobby plan is capped at 10,000 requests per month, which teams with production traffic can exceed quickly.
  • Advanced compliance features like SOC 2 and HIPAA are only available starting at the $799/month Team plan.
  • Usage beyond the free tier is billed on top of the base subscription, adding cost unpredictability at scale.
  • On-premises deployment is restricted to the custom Enterprise tier.

Manus

  • Specific pricing and plan tiers not published on accessible pages; users must visit pricing page or contact sales
  • Organisational transition mid-2026; unclear how this affects feature stability or pricing continuity
  • No clear free tier mentioned; access requires subscription from apparent launch
  • Limited public documentation on capabilities and limitations

Pricing, plan by plan

Helicone

Free
  • HobbyFree
    • 10,000 free requests
    • 1 GB storage
    • 1 seat
  • Pro$79/month
    • 10K free requests included, usage-based beyond
    • 7-day free trial
    • Unlimited playgrounds and workspaces
  • Team$799/month
    • 5 organizations
    • SOC 2 and HIPAA compliance
    • Dedicated Slack channel access
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom MSAs and SAML SSO
    • On-premises deployment
    • Bulk cloud discounts

Manus

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Manus review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Helicone if

  • You need request dashboard and tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want sessions and segments.
Helicone review

Choose Manus if

  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop, Slack integration.
Manus review

Questions people ask

Is Helicone or Manus better?
Neither clearly leads. Helicone starts at Free and Manus at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Helicone or Manus?
Helicone has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Helicone and On request for Manus.
Does Helicone or Manus run on more platforms?
Helicone runs on web, api. Manus runs on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop, Slack integration.
Can I use Helicone for free?
Yes. Helicone has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Manus starts at On request.
What is Helicone best used for?
Helicone is most often used for monitoring cost and latency of production llm applications, debugging multi-step agent sessions, managing and iterating on prompts across a team, routing requests across multiple llm providers. Of those, monitoring cost and latency of production llm applications and debugging multi-step agent sessions are not what Manus is typically brought in for.
What can Helicone do that Manus cannot?
Helicone covers Request dashboard and tracking, Sessions and segments, Helicone Query Language (HQL), Prompt datasets and improvement.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Helicone: What does Helicone cost?

Helicone offers a free Hobby plan, a Pro plan at $79/month, a Team plan at $799/month, and custom Enterprise pricing, with usage-based charges applying beyond included request limits.

Source
Manus: Where can I find Manus pricing information?

The Manus pricing page at manus.im/pricing mentions 'Manus Pricing Plans' with the tagline 'Less structure, more intelligence,' but specific pricing details and tier information are not published online. Contact Manus directly to discuss pricing options.

Source
Helicone: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

The free Hobby plan includes 10,000 requests per month, 1 GB of storage, 1 seat, and 1 organization, aimed at kickstarting AI projects.

Source
Manus: Does Manus offer a team plan option?

Manus mentions a team plan option on its pricing page, but specific details about team size limits, per-seat costs, and features are not published. Interested customers should contact Manus sales to discuss team pricing.

Source
Helicone: Are there discounts available?

Helicone offers 50% off the first year for qualifying startups, discounts for non-profits, a $100 annual credit for open-source projects, and free access for students.

Source
Manus: What features are available in Manus?

Manus offers AI design, slides, image generation, music generation, browser operator, and other creative automation features. Specific feature availability by pricing tier requires contacting Manus directly for custom pricing information.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Helicone

More on Manus

Keep looking

Other head to heads